255. How Ali Feller Got Hooked on Running, Podcasting, and Runners (like you!)

Ali Feller has become a beacon of enthusiasm for the sport of running and its passionate, supportive community. Her podcast, Ali on the Run, is one of the most popular running podcasts out there, with hundreds of episodes and countless fans. On her long-running podcast, Ali has had conversations with many of the sport's most recognized runners. She is also continuing to work to make listeners more familiar with guests whose stories we don't get to hear enough about. Ali is a marathoner, a TedX Speaker, and a race announcer for New York Road Runners and Millennium Running. She is also a freelance writer and editor whose work has appeared in numerous publications including Runner's World, Self, Fitness and Women's Running. But most importantly, Ali is a blast to talk to about anything related to running and beyond! As a fellow podcaster, Ali and I could talk endlessly about all things running. Our conversation today will give you some insight into Ali's background and her passion for the sport, including: The way that running brings us closer to the elites than almost any other sport How running provides the opportunity for limitless storytelling Why word of mouth matters so much when it comes to spreading a love for the sport How Ali's competitive dance background prepared her for the ups and downs of training and racing The infinite opportunities to find joy in running by doing it whatever way you love most How Ali's podcast discussions help humanize elite runners and make their stories so relatable Enjoy my enthusiastic discussion with Ali! Links & Resources from the Show: Visit Ali's website Follow Ali on Instagram Watch Ali's TedxBoston talk Give kudos to Ali on Strava ! Thank you Elemental Labs! A big thanks to Elemental Labs for their support of this episode! They make electrolyte drinks for athletes and low-carb folks with no sugar, artificial ingredients, or colors. And you can get a free sampler pack of 4 flavors and 8 individual packets when you pay $5 in shipping. Elemental Labs' products have some of the highest sodium concentrations that you can find. Anybody who runs a lot knows that sodium, as well as other electrolytes like magnesium and potassium, are essential to our performance and how we feel throughout the day. The citrus flavor has quickly become my favorite. I'm drinking one a day now to help me get enough fluids in our dry Colorado air. It's tasty and delicious and I find that I'm not peeing every 45 minutes throughout the day, which might be an indication I wasn't eating enough sodium. There's now mounting evidence that higher sodium intake levels are not unhealthy – and athletes need substantially more than your typical sedentary person. Of course, ask your doctor if you're worried. But for those athletes running outside in the heat, an electrolyte replacement makes a lot of sense. So check out Elemental Labs to try their new flavor or get a free sampler pack. Thank you Gnarly Nutrition! What an amazing brand name! But Gnarly Nutrition don't just sound great, they make amazing nutrition products to help athletes like you optimize their diet, fuel smarter, and reach new heights in training. Their chocolate whey protein powder blows my mind - it's the tastiest protein powder I've ever had. I mix it with almond milk and it's just amazing how creamy and sweet it tastes. Gnarly is a trusted supplier of nutrition products to athletes because all of their protein powders, pre-workout supplements, amino acids, and fuel are all NSF-certified. That means you can trust everything from Gnarly to be safe, clean, and free of any banned substances. ​​They comply with strict standards and procedures during every stage of the product's development, including unplanned on-site inspections, to ensure you know exactly what you're putting in your body. Fuel better and recover smarter so that you can do more of what you love: running. Go to gognarly.com and be sure to use code GNARLY20 to save 20% sitewide on your entire order.